


I Have Always Longed to be a Father

by TourmalineQueen



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Angst, Broken Circle backstory, Dragon Age Prompt Fest, Missing Scene, Other, woe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-15
Updated: 2015-05-15
Packaged: 2018-03-30 16:26:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3943615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TourmalineQueen/pseuds/TourmalineQueen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Uldred has taken over the Harrowing Chamber, and Cullen and Ser Drass (and some others) are behind the barrier on the Fourth Floor of Kinloch Hold, watching the demons and trying to fight temptation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Have Always Longed to be a Father

Cullen and a handful of Templars that had been patrolling on or working in the Fourth Floor were gathered together outside the Harrowing Chamber, a mana-proof barrier raised by the eldest, most experienced one among them, Drass. Drass rallied the less experienced, and the three or four mages that had also been working on the floor when the abominations had poured out of the Harrowing Chamber. 

Cullen had had few dealings with Drass in his time in Kinloch Hold, but he respected the man, and had nothing bad to say about him - although he had heard the rumours that Greagoir intended to send him off to Greenfell or Lothering's Chantry, although why a Templar with all the experience Drass had would be sent to a piddly little Chantry in the arse-end of Nowhere (and this from a lad raised in Honnleath!) rather than promoted to Knight-Captain of a Circle was beyond Cullen's ken. Still, Cullen looked to Drass for orders, and to his own training and belief for resilience against the demons of Rage and hunger that harried them. Already two mages had been lured out of the barrier's protection by the taunting and whispers of demons, but the Templars were a united front, maintaining the barrier through faith and skill. If they put enough of their powers into it, then soon faith alone would be enough to keep it going, they hoped.

Then, after Maker-only-knew-how-long, a beast of sloth passed from the Harrowing Chamber. A few of the Templars and one of the mages fell unconscious as it passed, and fell out of the barrier's protection. They were dragged silently out of sight, fleshy fungi sprining up on the stone floor where the beasts passed. Only two figures remained behind the purple barrier. Cullen looked to Drass.

"Orders, Ser Drass?" Cullen asked hopelessly.

A dreadful wail of agony pierced the Harrowing Chamber's door. Cullen gulped, knowing that the door was magically enchanted to prevent any but the _worst_ noises from escaping - the Chantry being unwilling to allow the particulars of the Harrowing to become common knowledge - and thus knowing that whomever had screamed had been in the worst pain imaginable, and Cullen's imagination was vivid enough to provide mental images of what was happening.

"S-ser Drass?"

Drass sighed, and allowed his shoulders to slump. "We must wait for either the Knight-Commander or the Right of Annulment, Cullen. Have faith, and do not leave the safety of the barrier."

"The Right of Annulment? D-do you think it's that serious?" Cullen asked in dismay. He had been trained to believe there was little the Templars couldn't control. Drass glanced at the Harrowing chamber, where muffled thumps and truncated screams could be heard, despite the enchantments on it, and nodded.

They did not speak much, after that. Cullen didn't know if it was hours or days later, but a pair of purple, all-but-nude female demons (or female-appearing - did demons have sexes like humans or elves?) emerged from the Harrowing chamber. One went immediately out of sight, but the second hesitated, and turned to the barrier.

"Well, well, what do we have here? I can give you what you wish for, you know," she purred with great confidence.

"No, you can't," Cullen replied instantly.

"Nobody can give me what I want," Drass said at the same time.

"Are you sure? Wouldn't you like a daughter or a son? A wife to look after you, and for whom you could be her big, strong knight-in-shining armour?" The demon asked, in the worst ever-so-innocent-voice Cullen had heard since Carroll denied eating all the sweets in the pantry.

"Begone, demon! I'll have no truck with your false promises!" Cullen bellowed, but Drass _hesitated_.

"What would be the cost?" Drass asked. Cullen's heart sank and he turned accusing eyes on his superior.

"Why do we not go someplace more... comfortable... and discuss terms?"

"Ser Drass! It's a demon! You cannot seriously..." Cullen began to protest, but trailed off at Drass' look of regret.

"You're too young to understand, Cullen. I have always wanted to be a father - but it's never the younger son's job to sire heirs," he said. "Have faith, Ser Cullen. Greagoir will come soon, or the Circle will be Annulled and you will have peace."

"B-but Ser Drass, it won't be _real_ , the demon's offer - it will kill you - Ser Drass, please," Cullen begged and pleaded futilely. Drass looked regretful, but said nothing.

Drass left the barrier of his own free will, and Cullen was alone.

*-*-*


End file.
